HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Shannon News, 22 November 1927, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

HOROWHBNUA POWER BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board was held at the Levin Chambers on Tuesday, there being" present: Messrs G. A. Monk (chairman), W. E. Barber, R. Bryant, . M J. ..Morse, A. J. Pctheriek, A. Seifert, W. lx. Gunning, T. G. Vincent and P. W. Goldsmith (secretary land treasurer). The Board's engineer (Mr. J. A. Smith) was away on holiday leave. . ' Current for Pumping Motors. A letter was received from the clerk o| the Makerua Drainage Board* re-1 garding the charge of £54 15s 9d for power supplied to the Board's pumping plant, and stating that this had been referred to a meeting of, the Drainage Board and left in the hands of Trustee Seifert to take up with the Power Boar.d with a view to having it reduced and also securing a reduction in the eha'rge per unit. The Drainage Board was very much surprised at the amount of the charge for a period of three months; it was much beyond their ex-, pectations. The secretary also read a letter from Mr. F. C. Hay, civil engineer, Foxton, asking for an estimate of the cost of giving a. supply (alternately for 5 h.p. and 15 h.p.) for a pumping motor proposed to be i list ailed at Okuku Road. The secretary stated that he had replied stating that the rate charged for current must depend largely on whether a continuous or a restricted service were required. If a pumping service was rendered during tho periods of peak load, the Board must charge accordingly; if the service was only, at night, the rate charged would be much lower.' The matter would be gone into with the Board's engineer. Mr. Hay, in reply, had stated that the pumping motor was one which operated automatically, the service being governed by the" height of the water in the drain. The actual periods of use of current were short and might never touch the peak periods. It was impossible, however, for him to say definitely at what time the electric motor would have to operate. The secretary, explained that both the Drainage Board's and Mr. Hay's letters referred to pumps which were operated automatically. It would be strange if they ' operated for three months without touching the peak period.

The chairman said that this opened an important question—that of pumps operating according to the rise and fall of the water. It was quite possible that they might work at their full load during only one peak period in the quarter. The Drainage Board's pump might cost the Power Board £25 for a few hours at tho peak, and yet provide ;io other source of revenue. The Board might not get anything more than the. •ninimum charge. There was room for 'investigation, in regard to these pumps,, and possibly the Board's engineer eoiiih devise a method whereby they could be worked without encroaching on the; peak. Mr. Seifert said he quite realised) that it was impossible for the Boards to come to a decision without looking! carefully into the matter. It wa-sj necessary for the Drainage Board to; obtain power cheaply. Possibly time;} switches could be attached so as to pro-i ride for one rate at night and another] in the day-time. He was going intpj the matter with owners interested, tot see if a night- load would be "suitable.; He recognised that it was impossible; for the Power Board to allow its peak; to be interfered with unless it made a; charge to compensate for it. He; thought the Board would have more an-; plications for pumping services, and: the question was one of fixing a,policy to meet the occasion. . Mr. Barber said that Makerua was; uot the only district that would probably require pumping; there was a big area on the Foxton side. It was just :i question of the rate; he did not. know .whether it would be prohibitive or not.

Mr. Seifert said he .understood that \he Taieri Power Board charged a very low rate for night pumping. On the motion of the chairman, a committee was set up, consisting of Messrs Gunning, Vincent, the mover, the secretary and the engineer, to inquire into the question of pumping rates for drainage boards and others interested, and to confer with the applicants. Extension Proposals for Makerua.

Mr. P. F. Wall wrote asking for an extension of the current for half a mile to serve his property at Okuku H§ad, Makerua. He wished to light a cottage and to use power for shearing sheds; and he mentioned that two of his neighbours were likely to become customers of the Board if the extension were made.

The secretary said that if Mr. Wall\s neighbours were willing to come in, the request to build a lino seemed a fair one, and on the return of the engineer he would, consult him on the matter. The to reticulate this road had been considered before. It seemed improbable that the 'work could bo done before January. The Board decided to refer the application to its engineer. Treasurer's Statement. The following report was presented by the treasurer:— Accounts.—Since the last meeting of the Board £702 Is lOd has been paid out, the major portion of this sum being for wages and salaries. In the accounts for payment the largest one is a half-yearly debenture which falls due on November 3'Otli/and is in respect to the second loan of £40,000 from the Government Life Insurance Department, the amount being £1356 16s sd. It is the fourth half-yearly debenture. Of the other accounts in round figures the principal items are copper cable, which accounts for £250, installations £l5O and benzine £BO. The total amount to be passed for the dav is • £1955 0s 4d. J I

Keceipts.—For the month of October from all sources the sum of £5959 4s has been received. This includos many

of the large quarterly uccounts for.elec' tricity and also saineiof the sqnaartoxly instalments for installations. It will be seen from the table hereunder given that the total receipts for the seven months of the financial; year'is £36,715, which-includes £24,655 for electricity and meter rents. From these sources for the same period last year the returns were £20,503; consequently the increase stands at £3851. Oct, 1927 April-Oct.

(Shillings and pence omitted). Cash receipts from sale of electricity from. April Ist. to October -3.lst, 1927, ; £24.(555 10s 8d; from April Ist to Oct* .ober 3.lst. 1926, £20,803 16s 4d; increase, £3851 14s 4d. Overdue Accounts. —Several accounts for installations have been placed in the hands of solicitors. Some summonses have been issued and judgment (by confession) i has been obtained. From the ta offiee direct during the month some seven summonses were issued. Three debtors either paid at the office or into the Court the amount sued for. In two cases judgment was given by confession, one by default, and in one ease' an adjournment was made for . a month. Judgment by confession has now been obtained from sundry debtors for installations, and recoverable against the properties to the extent of approximately £550. For installation accounts which are really a charge upon the property and are recoverable as rates are recoverable, it is very important to obtain judgment within a three-year period as is the ease under the Rating Act. Full consideration has been given to those consumers who have failed to meet their accounts when clue, owing to the depressed times through which we havo been passing, but on the other hand the Board's interests have to be safeguarded so that no account becomes non-recoverable as a rate through the time limit being exceeded.

The chairman remarked that the revenue side of the statement seemed to be fairly buoyant and up to expectations. The report as to proceedings against certain consumers was, perhaps, not quite so pleasing; but such action was nevertheless, necessary in some cases.

The report was adopted. Foreman's Report.

In the absence of the engineer, the following statement wSS - received from Mr. W. Meddings, foreman, showing work carried out during the period,! October 12th to November Bth, inclusive:—

Foxton-Himitangi line has been com-, meneed, and the \main portion of this line should be the end of this week. . / E.H.T. line was extended on Tasman Beach Road, Otaki, and a new substation erected to relieve load on Otaki main sub. The necessary alterations to l.t. circuits were made. L.T. lines on; Winchester Street, Levin, were streng-: thened, and extended ,t,o cope with, growing load.

On new construction the following are detailed figures:— New service lines, 21. Extensions to existing service lines,

Poles erected, 69. Chains of wire run, 500. Maintenance.—Soine. low tension and' service lines' have been re-strained at Waikanae and Rikiorangi. A patrol of all e.h.t. lines south of Levin has been carried out. A dislocation of service occurred on the main southern feeder on October 31st, at 6.5 p.m. This was due to a porcelain insulator breaking down on the Otaki sub-tower. Service was restored (complete) at 7.30 p.m. It was necessary to cut off power on Sunday, November 6th, from 2.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m., to effect repairs due to tho above cause.

During the period, voltage tests were taken in a number of places, the majority of such tests showing a satisfactory pressure. Where low readings were obtained, the necessary attention will be given to assure a satisfactory service. Lines Being Strengthened. The chairman stated that in many cases it was being found necessary to put in heavier wire, or wind wire on to existing lines, to meet the heavier voltage; this Mas being done throughout the district. The load was increasing much faster than had been expected, and in many cases heavier copper had had to be put in. This had been discovered in connection with the cook ing load. It was not peculiar to this district—practically all power districts had the same trouble. Mr. Barber asked the chairman if he had any idea of the cost of reinstating the wire.

The chairman: In some cases they have wound other wire in; and in other cases, like Otaki, they have created another sub, which is expensive. It relieves the strain on the main substation, and you have not so far to carry the current on the existing wire. Mr. Barber: It came on the Board fairly quickly. The chairman: Most Boards are suffering from it. The chairman of the Manawatu Board said that they ex pected to have a fairly heavy expendv ture there through the same cause, their load having grown.

Mr. Seifert: Palmerston has hardly any cooking load. The secretary started that the Mana-watu-Oroua Board was supplying 311 ranges, and the Hutt Valley Board 513 ranges. The report was adopted.

Installations, fittings and service lines .. 1083 5177 Interest on Installa- ... 75 420 Consumors' deposits ... 10 63 Electricity and meter - . 4742 24655 • ... 14 146 Rents and misccllaue- ... 30 251 Totals '...-. . . £5959 £30715